By Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
President John Dramani Mahama has used the 12th Africa Debates at London’s historic Guildhall to make a strong case for Ghana as an emerging investment destination and to urge a reset in the global partnership between Africa and the world.
Addressing global investors, business leaders, and policymakers, the President positioned Ghana as open for business while also calling for a shift away from aid-dependent relationships toward structured, mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
The engagement formed part of a broader two-day investment drive in the United Kingdom, which also included a Ghana Investment Forum held at the Ghana High Commission in London.
President Mahama said Ghana has recorded significant macroeconomic stabilisation over the past 18 months since assuming office in January 2025, following a period marked by high inflation, currency depreciation, weakened investor confidence, and debt restructuring pressures.
“In 18 months, we have implemented disciplined macroeconomic reforms that have restored fiscal confidence and stabilised the economy,” he stated.
He stressed that the recovery goes beyond macroeconomic indicators, describing it as a deliberate repositioning of the economy toward industrialisation, agro-processing, export expansion, logistics development, digital transformation, and value addition.
Central to this transformation, he noted, is the 24-Hour Economy initiative, which he said is designed not merely to extend working hours but to restructure economic activity to improve productivity across key sectors including manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, pharmaceuticals, digital services, tourism, and the creative economy.
President Mahama also highlighted the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme, which he said is opening up major investment opportunities in roads, rail, energy, housing, water systems, and logistics infrastructure.
He further assured investors of ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency, modernising infrastructure, and creating a more predictable and competitive investment climate.
According to him, Ghana offers a unique combination of political stability, democratic continuity, and strategic access to the West African sub-region, backed by a government committed to private sector-led growth.
“Ghana is open for business. But beyond that, Ghana is ready for strategic partnerships that are anchored in long-term value creation,” he said.
Speaking on the forum’s theme, “Redefining Partnerships, Navigating a World in Transition,” President Mahama said the moment demands more than dialogue, but a rethinking of global engagement frameworks.
“It demands a new framework for engagement between Africa and the world, one built not on aid and dependency but on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and genuine partnership,” he emphasised.
